Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA) has revealed the identity of its new national co-ordinator.
The not-for-profit organisation, which assists textile businesses in ensuring their Australian workers receive fair pay and working conditions, revealed Simon McRae will now lead its activities. He replaces former national co-ordinator Emer Diviney.
McRae's history includes time as a senior campaigns officer for the UK's War on Want where he campaigned against poverty. Textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) businesses were among those targeted by War on Want's 'Love Fashion Hate Sweatshops' campaign.
Joining McRae at ECA is new media and communications co-ordinator Eloise Bishop, formerly of The Australian Football League, The Body Shop and fashion accessories company Accessorize.
ECA also revealed the number of brands to become ECA accredited has now swelled to over 50. Brands accredited in recent months include footwear manufacturer Oliver Footwear, women's shirt label Tate & Lawson and swimwear brand Nathanpaul.
ECA is a joint business-union initiative and was formerly known as the Homeworkers Code of Practice and the No Sweatshop Label. In addition to working with fashion and textile businesses to help them become ECA accredited, the organisation also promotes accredited businesses to consumers via its ECA trademarks and swing tags.
Long-standing labels that have worked to gain ECA accreditation include Ginger & Smart, Collette Dinnigan, Lisa Ho, Jets, Cue and Bardot.